Free Pan Am Unbuckled: A Very Plane Diary by Ann Shelby Valentine, Ramona Fillman

to worry. One’s estimated time of arrival was always just a best guess. Scheduling was in charge.)
    We got to the gate, boarded, and secured everything on the plane. Again, I asked if I could make a phone call. Georgia said “Okay, but do it quickly, as passengers are going to be boarding soon.” I found a pay phone nearby, in the terminal, and did something that I had never done prior or since—I placed a collect call to my mother.
    My mother never made or accepted long-distance phone calls very graciously. They were, to her, a frivolous expense. She didn’t approve of yakking on the phone long distance. Even when I had an emergency appendectomy in Switzerland at age 15 my mother made one phone call to me from the US—and it was exactly 3-minutes long.
    From that phone booth in JFK, I heard my dad answer and I said “Hi daddy is mom there?” ”Is something wrong?” he asked. “No, I just need to talk to mom really fast” I blurted. I told my mom I had been rerouted, and she asked if that meant I had lost my job. “No, I’m on a different flight. I’m on the ‘around-the-world.” She knew exactly what that meant. “Yes, mom, but I don’t have very much money and I don’t know what to do. I’m going, but can you get some money to me?” I pleaded.
    “Don’t’ worry about it. I’ll have your dad wire you money to American Express -London. As a back-up, I’ll send a telegram to your Uncle Jimmy. How much will you need? Five hundred – yes — that will do.” I was just amazed! She said, “you may never get there again!” I was shaking my head. This was the same mom who didn’t write to me while I was in training, and didn’t come to my pinning ceremony—even though she lived less than two hours away— but, she came through now. This strange-but-wonderful bit of approval, sent me on high sails.
    I went back to the plane smiling. Now, I knew I was set. It was going to be a two week vacation. I was going to treat the whole pattern as if I may never do this again and I would take advantage of it— the whole way.
    London
    When I got to London, I only had the thin flowered mini-skirted shift and bikini—meant for San Juan. The purser loaned me her uniform coat so I wouldn’t freeze. I changed into my galley shoes from the tote bag and walked from the hotel to the American Express Office in Trafalgar Square— with my passport and my Uniform bag. I gave the American Express agent my name and was given $500 in American Express traveler’s cheques.
    I went directly to a Woolworth’s where I bought a pair of red canvas Nichols shoes—similar to American Keds. I was disappointed that Woolworths had changed so much since 1962— when I was last there. Woolworths used to have employees who walked around with money belts to make change for purchases picked out from large tables with wooden crate dividers on them. If a purchase was made with a bill that they didn’t have enough change for, they cranked a bell and another employee came over with a cashier’s belt strapped to their shoulders. Instead, today, they had me show them a passport and they made change out of the cash register. So, London had changed.
    About this time, jet-lag hit like a bomb and I barely made it back to the hotel. I fell asleep like a faint— only to be awakened by the phone ringing. I was sharing a room with another stewardess and had been careful not to awaken her when I returned from shopping. It was Georgia, the Purser, on the phone. She said the crew party was in the first officer’s room. “What?” I asked. She said “You don’t want to miss the crew party. Don’t’ tell me they didn’t tell you in training school about the crew parties?” “No”, I yawned.
    My roommate already knew there was a crew party— and that was why she was in the shower. I took a quick shower, too, which energized me a bit. Since I only had my little summer dress to wear, my roommate loaned me a sweater to wear with it. I was worried